Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee from his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king's servitude.

Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.

Sepora's gift could save Tarik's kingdom from the Quiet Plague. But should she trust her growing feelings for her nemesis, or should she hide her gifts at all costs?

Bates Motel OR When Calls the Heart OR Walking Dead OR Game of Thrones

Favorite movie?

Me Before You at the moment. I cried like the little baby I am.

Your Favorite Song?

The Promise by When in Rome (It’s so romantic and plus I’m an 80s freak!)

Favorite Food?

Southern Fried Chicken and sweet tea!

Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.

Green Gables

Tara from Gone With the Wind

Pemberley (as long as Mr. Darcy still lived there)

Who is your perfect fictional boyfriend?

Warner from the Shatter Me series

Favorite Quote?

Women are like tea bags—you never know how strong they are until they get in hot water. –Eleanor Roosevelt

OR

Start every day as if it were on purpose. –Hitch

What do you find yourself “Fangirling” over?

The new Star Trek stamps at the post office. Jack from When Calls the Heart. Zac Effron. Zac Effron. Zac Effron. Hook from OUAT.

If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would it be?

Jane Austen

Something to say to our Book Addicts?

I would ask them a question: What is your favorite book about enemies-turned-lovers?

Could you tell our Book Addicts a little bit about Nemesis and the world in it?

Nemesis is about a princess on the run who escapes into the territory of her nemesis—the newly crowned Falcon King of Theoria—and accidentally falls for him as they battle a Quiet Plague and while she tries to prevent war with her home kingdom without giving away her many secrets. It’s based on ancient Egypt and their constant struggle with the Hittites. Think of Theoria with ancient Egypt. For those of you who are fans of The Syrena Legacy series, I didn’t completely leave mermaids out of the picture—only they’re not what you’re expecting this time around!

What can you tell us about Princess Sepora and Tarik and their personalities? And what about their relationship?

Sepora has been sheltered for most of her life, and when she escapes to Theoria she lacks a certain fear that most people would have if put in the same situation, even though she thinks herself a coward. She’s very anti-violent but an exceptional liar, as Tarik a Lingot who can discern the truth from a lie, will find out.

Tarik is a humble ruler with a good heart and good intentions, but makes room for a smart mouthed palace servant who tells lies intermingled with the truth every time she speaks. He’s drawn to her, and she to him, but can their growing affection outweigh the lies she carries and the duties he must uphold?

How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?

I found a lot of inspiration in the story of King Tut, the boy king. I watched a ton of documentaries about what his rule would have been like, how much pressure he faced, and what his life must have been like. Of course, I added my own perspective on the matter, and gave Tut a love interest other than his own sister, and created abilities in humans that the Egyptians could only dream about. J

Tell us your favorite quote from Nemesis.

“It is impossible to make you stay, yet impossible to let you go. Why is that, Sepora?”

Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write?

Tarik has a younger brother, Sethos, and I loved to write anything with him in it. He’s young and carefree and quite the manwhore, and I adore him dearly.

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for Nemesis – Which one would you pick?

The artist Chase Holfelder did a remake of Everyt Breath You Take by The Police. You can find that song here. It’s fan-freaking-tastic.

Imagine that we get to see your book on the big screen (how awesome would that be?). Who would you pick to play your characters?

For Sepora, it would have to be someone curvy. She’s not a skinny heroine by any means, and I’d want the actress to stay in line with this. And I’d probably pick an unknown for her.

I always envisioned the actor Avan Jogia who coincidentally played King Tut in the movie Tut, which I just found out!

Is there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read Nemesis (specific music, snacks…)?

Yes! Preorder Nemesis and get an Egyptian bath bomb. Take a hot bath, with Every Breath You Take by Chase Holfelder playing in the background, and enjoy the book!

What’s next for you?

You want to know something amazing? I have nothing on my plate right now. It’s a crazy sense of freedom, and I can’t wait to see what inspires me next. :) Maybe your readers could leave some ideas in the comments??

Thank you so much for everything, Anna!

Follow the Nemesis by Anna Banks Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

I live with my husband and daughter in the Florida Panhandle. I have a southern accent compared to New Yorkers, and I enjoy food cooked with real fat. I can’t walk in high heels, but I’m very good at holding still in them. If you put chocolate in front of me, you must not have wanted it in the first place.

Monday, September 19, 2016

A Mortal Song
by Megan Crewe
Publisher: Another World Press
Release Date: September 13th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy

Synopsis:

Sora's life was full of magic—until she discovered it was all a lie.

Heir to Mt. Fuji's spirit kingdom, Sora yearns to finally take on the sacred kami duties. But just as she confronts her parents to make a plea, a ghostly army invades the mountain. Barely escaping with her life, Sora follows her mother's last instructions to a heart-wrenching discovery: she is a human changeling, raised as a decoy while her parents' true daughter remained safe but unaware in modern-day Tokyo. Her powers were only borrowed, never her own. Now, with the world's natural cycles falling into chaos and the ghosts plotting an even more deadly assault, it falls on her to train the unprepared kami princess.

As Sora struggles with her emerging human weaknesses and the draw of an unanticipated ally with secrets of his own, she vows to keep fighting for her loved ones and the world they once protected. But for one mortal girl to make a difference in this desperate war between the spirits, she may have to give up the only home she's ever known.

"Megan Crewe's A Mortal Song is engrossing from the first chapter. The world of the kami is beautifully fantastic and delicately drawn, and the switched-at-birth scenario made me instantly feel for both of these resilient, brave girls. A Mortal Song has lots of magic, lots of heart, and lots to love." -Kendare Blake, author of Three Dark Crowns.

Hello Megan! We are super excited to have you in our FFBC tours.

Favorite Book?

It’s impossible to pick just one! I can say that the book I’ve re-read the most in adulthood is Megan Whalen Turner’s The King of Attolia, because it is so good and I basically want to absorb everything she does with her writing.

Favorite TV show?

Also really hard to narrow this down… Maybe Star Trek: The Next Generation? I loved that as a teen and still enjoy it when I rewatch.

Favorite movie?

See above re: picking just one. ;) But my go-to answer is The Princess Bride, which I do love very much.

Your Favorite Song?

Varies from day to day, but what I think of as my theme song is Ani Difranco’s “Joyful Girl”.

Favorite Food?

Pizza or Hakka-style crispy ginger chicken.

Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.

Hmmm. Most of the fictional places I’ve read about would be pretty dangerous to live in! Let’s say the planet in The Keeper of the Isis Light (Monica Hughes), the magical world of the Magic Thief series (Sarah Prineas), and Hogwarts, post-Voldemort’s defeat.

Who is your perfect fictional boyfriend?

*points to favorite book* I must admit to being inordinately fond of Eugenides, although I suffer under no illusions that he’d be a perfect partner. ;)

Favorite Quote?

“You are what you love, not what loves you.” from the movie Adaptation

What do you find yourself “Fangirling” over?

My favorite books and characters, of course!

If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would it be?

Douglas Adams. Just to listen to him talk about whatever he wanted to. I’m sure it would have been both illuminating and entertaining.

Could you tell our Book Addicts a little bit about A Mortal Song and the world in it?

A Mortal Song is basically a reversal of the standard “main character finds out s/he is secretly a supernatural being” storyline, where instead the protagonist grew up believing she was magical, only to discover she’s actually a human changeling put in place as a decoy to protect her parents’ real daughter. It’s set in modern-day Japan, and incorporates all sorts of places there, from isolated forest valleys to big, vibrant cities like Tokyo.

Can you tell us a little bit about Sora and her personality?

Sora is very dedicated to what she believes is her life’s purpose and also very determined to serve it well, so she can’t help finding the revelation that she’s “just” an ordinary human being hard to take. But she’s gradually able to see that many of the things she treasured about being kami—music and dancing, making a difference in people’s lives—can be a part of her new life as well. She’s sensitive to other people’s emotions and always wants to understand why they do what they do, but she has difficulty forgiving someone she trusted if they break that trust.

How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?

The basic concept came to me after reading a couple of books back to back where the main character found out she wasn’t human but a magical being hidden away for her own protection. I started wondering what it would be like to end up on the opposite side of that sort of trade—to have to deal with having your powers stripped away rather than learning to use new ones. It felt like a premise with tons of potential for character growth and angst!

I also wanted to challenge not one particular story but the broad body of work that seems to suggest it’s better—more exciting, more meaningful, more useful—to be a supernatural being than simply human. I think there are some pretty extraordinary elements to human nature, and I wanted to offer some appreciation to those.

Tell us your favorite quote from A Mortal Song.

That’s hard to answer, but one of my favorite quotes is this bit where Sora compares kami and human bravery: “Being human, the answers aren’t obvious. You have to choose whether you do the difficult thing or the easy thing. It takes a lot more courage to do the difficult thing you don’t have to do, that scares you, than to just... follow what you automatically know to do.”

Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write?

The first kissing scene was a lot of fun. I enjoy writing the romantic parts in general, and that one was nicely placed amid a bunch of ongoing plot tension, plus allowed lots of awkwardness and uncertainty in the aftermath. (I may be a little bit of a sadist when it comes to my characters… ;) )

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for A Mortal Song – Which one would you pick?

“Evolution” by Ayumi Hamasaki. It’s been the unofficial theme song for the book from early on in the writing process!

Imagine that we get to see your book on the big screen (how awesome would that be?). Who would you pick to play your characters?

I have actor “models” for most of the major characters, but unfortunately I think most/all of them would be too old to actually play them now! If time travel were possible, Sora would be played by Aoi Yu, Keiji by Tatsuya Fujiwara, and Takeo by Takeshi Kaneshiro. (See pics here: http://www.megancrewe.com/blog/?p=3015) I never was able to find anyone who quite captured Chiyo’s essence.

Is there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read A Mortal Song (specific music, snacks…)?

I think the perfect setting for reading the book out be somewhere outdoors where you can hear the wind in the trees, with a fresh pot of tea at your side.

What’s next for you?

I’m still waiting to find that out myself! Although A Mortal Song was a foray into self-publishing for me, I’m continuing to write for traditional publication as well. I do intend to have at least one YA novel out next year, by one means or another, but which one it’ll be is up in the air at the moment.

Something to say to our Book Addicts?

Thank you so much for all the ways you support authors, whether by simply by reading, or by leaving reviews or talking books up on social media, or anything else! Readers are my favorite people. J

Thank you so much for everything, Megan!

Like many authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and son (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she's spent the last six years studying kung fu, so you should probably be nice to her. She has been making up stories about magic and spirits and other what ifs since before she knew how to write words on paper. These days the stories are just a lot longer.

Megan's first novel, GIVE UP THE GHOST, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. Her second, THE WAY WE FALL, was nominated for the White Pine Award and made the International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices List. Her Fallen World trilogy (THE WAY WE FALL, THE LIVES WE LOST, THE WORLDS WE MAKE) is now complete and she has a new trilogy forthcoming in October 2014, beginning with EARTH & SKY. Her books have been published in translation in several countries around the world. She has also published short stories in magazines such as On Spec and Brutarian Quarterly.

Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee from his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king's servitude.

Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.

Sepora's gift could save Tarik's kingdom from the Quiet Plague. But should she trust her growing feelings for her nemesis, or should she hide her gifts at all costs?

Nemesis is one of those books reviewers like me are afraid of starting due its popularity. You are always trying not to be "pushed" into liking it or hating it because what others have said before you. So when I started this book I have to confess that I was wary at first. But as it happened Sepora with Tarik, I didn't expect to fall for this story as much as I did.

Nemesis starts with Princess Magar Sepora running from her kingdom, Serubel, and venturing herself into her father's enemy kingdom in order to scape her evil father. Trying to prevent an impeding war, she ends up being sold to no other that King Tarik of Theoria; Sepora's nemesis. However, her position soon ends up being advantageous in order for her to try to prevent the war helping the Theorians. But Tarik's kingdom has more problems that the war coming from Serubel.

I believe that Nemesis has the potential to become a great series. Anna Banks knew how to catch the reader's attention with this book, has all the elements to become a mind-blowing story and the characters are approachable as well as likable.

What I liked about this book is that from the first chapter you are in fact in Anna's imaginary kingdoms. And even though we can recall a sort of resemblance to other stories, her setting and the details do not. Also I liked that, as I said before, both characters, Tarik and Sepora, are approachable. But, moreover, I liked that there was a constant banter between these two and that Sepora never ceased to be herself even in another kingdom.

Having to write from different points of view must be difficult. But Anna found a way to create each individual character its own voice. I liked that Sepora had from time to time a way to bring a smile to me while reasoning to herself and that Tarik gave a more quite and philosophical thinking due to its new role as a king.

What I think that the story was missing was a sort of cliffhanger in the story. It is true that the ending leaves the reader wanting, desiring for more books. However, the story has no surprise effect nor does leave you breathless from what happened in it. And I think that Nemesis is the kind of story that can do that: leave a reader breathless.

I highly recommend this new series to all fans of the Throne of Glass and the Falling Kingdoms' series. I say give an opportunity to this story, because I can tell you know that I have the feeling that the second book is going to bring a mind-blowing story.

I read this book in exchange of an honest review. I want to thank Anna Bank's publicist for sending me a physical ARC of the book.

I live with my husband and daughter in the Florida Panhandle. I have a southern accent compared to New Yorkers, and I enjoy food cooked with real fat. I can’t walk in high heels, but I’m very good at holding still in them. If you put chocolate in front of me, you must not have wanted it in the first place.